Zuhair S. Natto

Predictors of Delayed-Stage Colorectal Cancer: Are We Neglecting Critical Demographic Information?

PURPOSE We sought to distinguish roles of demographic variables and bowel segments as predictors of delayed versus early stage colorectal cancer in California. METHODS Demographic and anatomic variables for 66,806 colorectal cancers were extracted from the California Cancer Registry for 2004-2008 and analyzed using logistic regression as delayed versus early stage. RESULTS Odds ratios (OR) for binary stage categories comparing age <40 (OR=2.58; 95% CI=2.26-2.94), 40-49 (1.71; 95%=1.60-1.83) and 75+ (1.05; 1.02-1.09) relative to 50-74 years were computed. Compared with non-Hispanic whites, ORs for stage categories were: 1.05; 0.99-1.13 (non-Hispanic blacks), 1.08; 1.02-1.13 (Hispanics), and 1.05; 1.00-1.10 (Asian/others). Females had higher odds of delayed diagnosis (1.09; 1.06-1.13) than males. Descending ORs were measured for successively lower to highest socioeconomic status (SES) quintiles (OR 4:5=1.08; 1.03-1.14, OR 3:5=1.13; 1.08-1.19, OR 2:5=1.18; 1.12- 1.24, and OR 1:5=1.21; 1.14-1.28). CONCLUSIONS Younger and older than age 50-74; females; Hispanic ethnicity; bowel segment contrasts (right/left, proximal/distal, cecum plus appendix/distal), and lower SES were independent predictors of delayed diagnosis. Low SES was the most robust predictor of delayed diagnosis, independent of other covariates. Approximately 77% of delayed diagnoses were in non-Hispanic whites and Asian/others. These findings illustrate the value of a community SES index for targeting egalitarian colorectal cancer screening.

Factors contributing to tooth loss among the elderly: A cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND The present study evaluates the influence of several demographic, health, personal, and clinical factors on the number of missing teeth in old age sample. METHODS The number of patients included was 259; they received a full mouth examination and answered a questionnaire provided by one examiner. All the variables related to teeth loss based on the literature were included. These variables focused on age, gender, race, marital status, clinical attachment level, pocket depth, year of smoking, number of cigarettes smoked per day, number of medications, root decay, coronal decay, health status, and year of education. Statistical analysis involved stepwise multivariate linear regression. RESULTS Teeth loss was statistically associated with clinical attachment level (CAL)(p value 0.0001), pocket depth (PD) (0.0007) and education level (0.0048). When smoking was included in the model, age was significantly associated with teeth loss (0.0037). At least one of these four factors was also related to teeth loss in several specific groups such as diabetes mellitus, male, and White. The multiple linear regressions for all the proposed variables showed that they contributed to teeth loss by about 23%. CONCLUSIONS It can be concluded that less education or increased clinical attachment level loss may increase number of missing teeth. Additionally, age may cause teeth loss in the presence of smoking.

Comparison of the efficacy of different types of lasers for the treatment of peri-implantitis: a systematic review.

PURPOSE To evaluate the efficacy of various types of lasers (neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet [Nd:YAG], carbon dioxide [CO2], diode, erbium/chromium-doped yttrium-scandium-gallium-garnet [Er,Cr:YSGG], and erbium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet [Er:YAG]) in the treatment of peri-implantitis and their use in surgical and nonsurgical procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS Human studies for the treatment of peri-implantitis with laser therapy, published between 2002 and January 2014, were collected utilizing the electronic databases PubMed, Ovid, MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Google Scholar. Two reviewers conducted the study selection, data collection, and validity assessment. RESULTS Eight hundred twelve studies were selected in the initial title search; 13 studies were then chosen for this review. No human studies evaluated the effect of the Nd:YAG laser on peri-implantitis. The CO2 laser is reported to be safe and able to enhance bone regeneration. The diode laser (980 nm) seems to be effective in its bactericidal effect without changing the implant surface pattern. The Er,Cr:YSGG laser was reported to obtain bone regeneration around a failing implant in one case, while the Er:YAG laser exhibits a strong bactericidal effect against periodontopathic bacteria at a low energy level. CONCLUSION Although lasers have shown promising results in reducing clinical signs of peri-implantitis, because of the limited sample sizes and short follow-up periods, no firm conclusion can be drawn at this moment. Hence, there is a need for more well-designed, longitudinal, randomized controlled clinical trials.

Exploring HIV-testing intentions in young Asian/Pacific Islander (API) women as it relates to acculturation, theory of gender and power (TGP), and the AIDS risk reduction model (ARRM).

While HIV rates are low for Asian/Pacific Islanders (APIs), they have been increasing, especially for API women in the USA. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 299 young API women (18–24 years old) in the Inland Empire region of Southern California to better understand their intention for HIV testing and their perceptions about HIV/AIDS. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, bivariate exploration for model building and multivariate analyses to determine variables associated with HIV-testing intentions. Results suggest that more lifetime sexual partners, greater perceived gender susceptibility, higher HIV/AIDS knowledge, sexually active, more positive attitudes about HIV testing and higher self-perceptions/experiences related to risk contribute to stronger intentions for HIV testing in young API women. Findings from this study will contribute to the limited literature on HIV/AIDS in API women and provide information that can be used for developing and implementing culturally appropriate programs that encourage HIV prevention and testing in this population.

Tufts PACE Clinical Predictive Model Registry: update 1990 through 2015

BackgroundClinical predictive models (CPMs) estimate the probability of clinical outcomes and hold the potential to improve decision-making and individualize care. The Tufts Predictive Analytics and Comparative Effectiveness (PACE) CPM Registry is a comprehensive database of cardiovascular disease (CVD) CPMs. The Registry was last updated in 2012, and there continues to be substantial growth in the number of available CPMs.MethodsWe updated a systematic review of CPMs for CVD to include articles published from January 1990 to March 2015. CVD includes coronary artery disease (CAD), congestive heart failure (CHF), arrhythmias, stroke, venous thromboembolism (VTE), and peripheral vascular disease (PVD). The updated Registry characterizes CPMs based on population under study, model performance, covariates, and predicted outcomes.ResultsThe Registry includes 747 articles presenting 1083 models, including both prognostic (n = 1060) and diagnostic (n = 23) CPMs representing 183 distinct index condition/outcome pairs. There was a threefold increase in the number of CPMs published between 2005 and 2014, compared to the prior 10-year interval from 1995 to 2004. The majority of CPMs were derived from either North American (n = 455, 42%) or European (n = 344, 32%) populations. The database contains 265 CPMs predicting outcomes for patients with coronary artery disease, 196 CPMs for population samples at risk for incident CVD, and 158 models for patients with stroke. Approximately two thirds (n = 701, 65%) of CPMs report a c-statistic, with a median reported c-statistic of 0.77 (IQR, 0.05). Of the CPMs reporting validations, only 333 (57%) report some measure of model calibration. Reporting of discrimination but not calibration is improving over time (p for trend < 0.0001 and 0.39 respectively).ConclusionsThere is substantial redundancy of CPMs for a wide spectrum of CVD conditions. While the number of CPMs continues to increase, model performance is often inadequately reported and calibration is infrequently assessed. More work is needed to understand the potential impact of this literature.

A Leukocyte- and Platelet-Rich Fibrin Showed a Regenerative Potential in Intrabony Defects and Furcation Defects but Not in Periodontal Plastic Surgery

ARTICLE TITLE AND BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION Regenerative potential of leucocyte‐ and platelet‐rich fibrin. Part A: intra‐bony defects, furcation defects and periodontal plastic surgery. A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Castro AB, Meschi N, Temmerman A, Pinto N, Lambrechts P, Teughels W, Quirynen M. J Clin Periodontol 2017; 44(1):67‐82. SOURCE OF FUNDING Self‐funded by the authors and their institution TYPE OF STUDY/DESIGN Systematic review with meta‐analysis of data

Tobacco Use and Effects of Professional Advice on Smoking Cessation among Youth in India

Objective: Healthcare professionals and addiction programs play important roles in tobacco use prevention and cessation activities. In this study, we analyzed the prevalence of tobacco use and the impact of smoking cessation advice through programs/professionals among a nationally representative sample of youth in India. Methods: The data were obtained from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) 2009 dataset from a nationally representative school based survey of 8th to 10th grade students in India (n=14,543). Professional or provider advice for smoking cessation was analyzed with reference to quitting smoking. Descriptive analysis was performed for tobacco and smoking prevalence and the types of tobacco products used. Logistic regression was employed to assess any associations between professional or program advice and quitting smoking. Results: The overall prevalence of current tobacco use was 13.5%. About 76% were never tobacco users and 9.3% were former tobacco users. The prevalences of smoking, smokeless tobacco and poly tobacco use among current tobacco users were 35.1%, 43.3% and 21.5% respectively. Among the never smokers, 80% were weakly and 20% were strongly susceptible. Recipients of advice from a program or professional showed higher odds (OR=5.3) of quitting smoking. Conclusion: Professional and program advice to quit smoking is very effective for youth in India. More programs and healthcare professionals must be employed to prevent and encourage youth to abstain from the use of tobacco.

Is There a Relationship Between Periodontal Disease and Causes of Death? A Cross Sectional Study

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there is any correlation between periodontal disease and mortality contributing factors, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus in the elderly population. A dental evaluation was performed by a single examiner at Tufts University dental clinics for 284 patients. Periodontal assessments were performed by probing with a manual UNC-15 periodontal probe to measure pocket depth and clinical attachment level (CAL) at 6 sites. Causes of death abstracted from death certificate. Statistical analysis involved ANOVA, chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The demographics of the population sample indicated that, most were females (except for diabetes mellitus), white, married, completed 13 years of education and were 83 years old on average. CAL (continuous or dichotomous) and marital status attained statistical significance (p<0.05) in contingency table analysis (Chi-square for independence). Individuals with increased CAL were 2.16 times more likely (OR=2.16, 95% CI=1.47-3.17) to die due to CVD and this effect persisted even after control for age, marital status, gender, race, years of education (OR=2.03, 95% CI=1.35-3.03). CAL (continuous or dichotomous) was much higher among those who died due to diabetes mellitus or out of state of Massachusetts. However, these results were not statistically significant. The same pattern was observed with pocket depth (continuous or dichotomous), but these results were not statistically significant either. CAL seems to be more sensitive to chronic diseases than pocket depth. Among those conditions, cardiovascular disease has the strongest effect.

Nutritional status of highland and lowland children in Ecuador.

UNLABELLED We assessed the nutritional status of children in Ecuador using anthropometric measurements and body composition. OBJECTIVES To determine whether living in the highlands in Quito was a predisposing factor to poor nutrition in children. METHOD We compared the children in highlands at 2772 m above sea level with their costal (605 m above sea level) counterparts at Santo Domingo de Los Colorados. By using the WHO standard reference 2007, we distinguished malnourished children from healthy children using Z-score of -2 as a cut-off point. RESULTS Mean Z-score indices for both height-for-age (HFA) and weight-for-age (WFA) were found to be significantly lower among urban children than for rural children (p < 0.001). Urban children were also four times more likely of becoming mildly stunted (OR = 3.95%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.818-8.448) and three times more likely of being mildly underweight (OR = 3.95%, 95% CI: 1.241-7.551). CONCLUSION Living in highland urban areas of Ecuador is a predisposing factor for poor nutrition among children.

Identification and Efficacy Ranking of Allograft and Xenograft for Extraction and Ridge Preservation Procedures

The objective of this network meta-analysis was to identify and rank different ridge preservation procedures using allograft, xenograft, or extraction only by dimensional changes in ridge width and height after tooth extraction. Electronic and hand searches of several databases were performed in September 2016 to identify randomized controlled trials on extraction and ridge preservation with 3 to 7 months of follow-up. Eight studies were included in the network meta-analysis. The total number of teeth included in these trials was 466, which were randomly assigned to treatment groups. The effect sizes of ridge width ranged from -2.01 (credibility interval [CrI]: -2.92 to -1.04) for the least efficacious treatment (extraction only) to -0.21 (CrI: -2.09 to 1.67) for the most efficacious treatment (xenograft with barrier). For height, they ranged from -0.35 (CrI: -3.82 to 3.17) for the most efficacious treatment (freeze-dried bone allograft with barrier) to -1.11 (CrI: -6.21 to 3.88) for the least efficacious treatment (extraction). No significant difference was detected between treatments nor inconsistency between the direct and indirect estimates. None of the selected interventions were statistically significant compared with any other treatment. All treatment options resulted in minimal bone loss in alveolar ridge width and height.